Stanford undergrads awarded for honors theses

Stanford undergraduate students received awards for their theses at a ceremony over Commencement weekend. The Firestone and Robert M. Golden Medals and the David M. Kennedy Honors Thesis Prizes were given to 38 winners representing 32 undergraduate departmental and interdisciplinary honors programs.

The event, hosted by Harry Elam, vice provost for undergraduate education, took place Saturday, June 15, on campus.

The Firestone and Golden Medals are awarded to the top 10 percent of honors theses completed in a given year. The Firestone Medal for Excellence in Undergraduate Research recognizes theses written in the social sciences, natural sciences and engineering. The Golden Medal for Excellence in Humanities and Creative Arts similarly distinguishes theses in the humanities or creative projects in the fine arts. The medalists each received an engraved bronze medal, citation and a monetary award.

The Kennedy Prize is awarded annually to the single best thesis in each of the four areas of humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering and applied sciences. Recipients of this award have accomplished exceptionally advanced research in the field and have shown strong potential for publication in peer-reviewed scholarly works. The prize was established in 2008 in recognition of history Professor David M. Kennedy’s mentoring of undergraduate writers. Winners each received an engraved plaque and a monetary award.

The projects conducted by the winners capture the breadth of the undergraduate experience at Stanford. They included research on such topics as natural logic reasoning, the molecular mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis, the behavioral economics of social media, and the role of civic identity in the making of the Mexican Beverly Hills. Other winners created sculptural portraits, crafted exceptional poems and excelled as musicians, actors and directors.

The awardees, their thesis titles, honors program or department, and advisors follow:

Alex Trivella, “Thwarting Electoral Revolution: The Communal State and Authoritarian Consolidation in Venezuela,” Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law, advised by Beatriz Magaloni (Political Science) and Harold Trinkunas (Center for International Security and Cooperation/Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies)

Sienna White, “No Impediment to the Sediment: A Numerical Model for Sediment Flux and Flocculation in San Francisco Bay,” Atmosphere and Energy, advised by Oliver Fringer (Civil and Environmental Engineering)

Victor “Viv” Liu, “‘It’s Like the Moment in These Paintings Never Existed’: Martin Wong, History, and the End of the Lower East Side, 1988-1990,” Art and Art History, advised by Marci Kwon (Art & Art History)

Catherine Xie, “Reimagining Sexual Violence Through Theater: Narrative, Memory and History in Venus and How I Learned to Drive,” Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies (FGSS), advised by Estelle Freedman (History)

Stanford Vice Provost and Dean of Research Kathryn Moler wants all research resources to be as readily available as books in a library. This model would enable faculty and students to pursue the most innovative research in flexible, collaborative teams.